


Banished (hiatus)

by childofthenight2035



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, And He Knows It, Banishment, Blowjobs, Demon!Jinyoung, Hypnosis, JJP are now boyfies, Jaebeom is a Cat Lady, Jaybee in trouble at home, Jealousy, Jinyoung is a little shit, Jinyoung is such an actor, M/M, Manipulation, Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Park Jinyoung Does What He Wants, Producer!Jaebeom, Shapeshifting, Youngjae is a little shit, as usual, attempts at seduction, im not condoning it ffs, lapse of judgement, lmao same, look at jb setting rules like he da boss, swings, youngjaes classmates be thirsting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-01-23 15:57:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21322813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/childofthenight2035/pseuds/childofthenight2035
Summary: It's no surprise that Jinyoung gets banished. But he didn't think he would wake up in his cat form: a tiny yowling black kitten.-Jaebeom has been having a terrible day at work. The only thing that kept him sane were his little brother's texts about a tiny black kitten that he found on the street.
Relationships: Im Jaebum | JB/Park Jinyoung
Comments: 59
Kudos: 319





	1. No Surprises (actually, several)

It’s no surprise that Jinyoung gets banished.

Contrary to popular belief (that he’s has only heard is the belief among humans; he’s never actually seen one), hell isn’t solely evil nor is heaven solely good. _Please._ That’s comedy gold right there. Jinyoung wouldn’t call himself evil, per se, but he knows of plenty of so-called angels who are. No, heaven and hell aren’t divided in terms of good and evil, but law and chaos. Up in heaven (cold ass place, Jinyoung remembers), the angels’ council doesn’t really punish for evil, just those who stepped out of line. Jinyoung hates that idea, the idea of having to live in a box with no room to breathe. It’s a dirty dictatorship, as long as you can bribe the council, you can do whatever you want.

Hell…doesn’t really have a council. Some have the power to execute punishment, but by the time a trial is called (after getting the whole jury to agree to show up), it’ll take another lifetime for them to agree on proper justice getting meted out. Nobody really makes a show of punishment. It’s mostly one on one revenge and retaliation.

So Jinyoung should really have known better when he slept with Dowoon. Not necessarily because Dowoon was bad news, but because his keeper was Sungjin. 

And Sungjin, when he was angry, was a scary, scary creature. 

Jinyoung had never been banished before, but he knew about it from those who had—it’s a sort of pull behind the navel and a fall into unconsciousness, until you wake up somewhere and hope you can find your way back.

Jinyoung could only think _oh fuck_ at the funny feeling in his abdomen before Hell was spinning out of focus and his vision went dark.

-

Jaebeom peeked through the blinds separated by his fingers at the weather outside. The whole of Ilsan was overcast, it seemed. He swore he hadn’t seen sunlight in days. The sky looked heavy, almost. Like it wanted to rain but was biding its time. Jaebeom winced when he remembered the comparison Jackson had made the previous day (“it looks like the clouds are about to nut, Jaebeommie,” he’d said on the bus, much to the disgust of the two girls sitting in front of them. Jaebeom wished the earth would swallow him up so he’d never have to be seen with Jackson again).

He sighed, letting the blinds clatter back into position. Another dreary day in his dreary, dreary life.  
Movement by his ankles made him look down. His cat, Nora, was rubbing herself all over his calves, mewling. She was hungry, Jaebeom assumed.

“Good morning, Nora,” he mumbled. She meowed more insistently. “Okay, okay, let’s get you fed.” It was only when he shook the rest of the contents of her cat food into the bowl that he realized, _fuck I need to get more cat food. I’ll get it on my way back, _ he promised himself.

With Nora occupied with her food, Jaebeom wandered around his apartment, brushing his teeth and pulling a clean hoodie over his head, getting ready to face the new artist that had signed with the company. Of course Jaebeom had to be put in charge of her. Newbies always went through him first. He rarely engaged with them long enough with any of them to think he wanted to collaborate with them again. Few people were interesting to him. Jackson was one. His style was something Jaebeom could immediately understand. And Jackson was a huge fan of the work Jaebeom did. But it was certainly a testament to Jaebeom’s patience that they were such good friends.

_I should really do some laundry_, he thought, cringing at the heap of unwashed clothes in the corner of his bedroom. _I have a lot of things to do around here. _ Maybe he would make a to-do list, finish it before the new project took up his time.

He knelt to tie his boots on—he’d get breakfast on the way. Or maybe just mooch off Jackson. He checked Nora’s water.  
“Nora, behave yourself, okay?” he called out, just to reassure himself. And out he went.

-

Jinyoung awoke to something wet splattering on his nose. He blinked once, twice, gazing blearily at the new world he had woken up to. 

The first thing he registered was the whiteness. What was that? Was that the sky? Why was the sky white? _Are earth skies white? That’s awful. _ The next thing he felt was the cold. And then the wet thing splashed onto his nose again.

He sneezed, furiously batting away whatever it was. And then he realized he had paws. And fur. Black fur. Ah.

_I’ve become a cat, _ he thought, his mind a jumbled mess. _I didn’t realize I could shape shift while unconscious. _ But that was probably for the best. If he came across a human (Jinyoung still didn’t know what those looked like, but apparently they were everywhere) while in his demon form, terrible things would happen (said stories of old).

And then the wet thing fell on him again, on his head this time. He thrashed around, rage overpowering him. It trickled down his face in an icky line.

_Is this water? _ he wondered, looking up. He’d been nestled in the grass under a pipe opening and whatever was coming out of the pipe was dripping. On his head. Was it water? He certainly hoped it was water and not something horrible. He pawed the ground he stood on, not appreciating the cold one bit. To his right wasn’t grass, though. It was smooth rock of some sort. He pounced upon it.

Almost immediately, a shadow loomed over him. Turning abruptly around, he came face to…foot? with an endlessly tall entity and yelled in shock.

Ah, no, he was a cat. A tiny little black cat. He didn’t yell, he mewled.

_The indignity_, he thought, as the creature picked him up until he was level with its face. _The disgrace. _

So, what was this thing? This, this giant making cooing noises at him? Jinyoung wrinkled his nose as it baby-talked him. _What am I, a child? How dare you? _

“Where are you from, little guy?” the thing asked, bouncing him.

_From hell_, Jinyoung wanted to respond. _From your worst nightmares and darkest secrets. From the land of the devilish and the undead. You fool. _

But all that came out were tiny high-pitched mews. 

“Aww, you must be cold. Whatchu doin’ out here all by yourself?” Jinyoung nearly screeched as the thing began to move, taking him along.

_Is this a human? Are these the things I must live amongst for the time being? _Jinyoung wanted to scream. _Where is it taking me? _

But the creature’s (the human’s?) paws were warm and this was an adventure, after all. He settled down, resting his head on his forelimbs. 

_Let’s see where this leads. _

-

_She fucking cancelled on me! _ Jaebeom couldn’t believe it. _Who the hell does she think she is? _ The studio seemed stuffy with tension.

“Hyung, calm down,” Jackson told him, evidently tired of watching him slam things around in anger. “She had an emergency, it’s not like she wanted to bail on this.”

_Still_, Jaebeom seethed. _I woke up for no reason. Fucking idols. _

“Hyung,” Jackson repeated more firmly, “fucking relax. If it’s any consolation, she’s probably beating herself up about it.” That was, strange as it was, a consolation. _Does that make me a bad guy? _ God, he had a headache. He prodded his forehead and felt Jackson’s hands on his back, fingers pressing in his shoulders. 

“Dude, you’re really stressed—“ Jaebeom muffled a groan as Jackson’s knuckled dug deeper. “—when was the last time you got laid?” Jaebeom shoved him away, immediately regretting the loss of pressure. 

“Why is sex always the answer for you?” he growled, irritation returning fully.

“But I’m happier for it,” Jackson retorted, resigning himself to the sofa. “Learn from me, hyung.”

Jaebeom rolled his eyes.

A vibration—no, several—distracted him. He’d get back to Jackson later. Youngjae, his little brother, a total sunshine, was texting him like crazy.

youngie: hYUNG  
youngie: i haTE YOU SO MUCH

Jaebeom narrowed his eyes. What did he do?

youngie: ok its not actually your fault  
youngie: but i found a cat today on the street  
youngie: Photo

He cooed internally at the attachment. It was a tiny little black cat, so small it fit in Youngjae’s palm. It seemed angry with the world. 

youngie: i shouldnt have picked up the damn thing  
youngie: you affected me with your cat love  
youngie: *infected  
youngie: so i took it to the shelter  
youngie: but then it weNT INSANE  
youngie: me and brian hyung are severely wounded  
youngie: WE ARE IN THE HOSPITAL  
youngie: ok were not but still

Jaebeom chuckled at the messages, typing out one of his own.

jb: and? what happened

He got a reply almost immediately. 

youngie: brian hyung managed to lock it in a cage  
youngie: itS SCREECHING LIKE A BANSHEE  
youngie: i left its brian hyungs problem now  
youngie: also ma asked you to come home this wknd  
youngie: she thinks youre starving

A smile crept across Jaebeom’s lips.

jb: alright ill come  
jb: its only tuesday tho??  
jb: tell her im fine  
jb: go to school kid

He locked his phone and tossed it onto his desk, feeling better. Youngjae had a knack for brightening up a situation. 

A knock on his door diverted his attention away from the chain of texts he had just received. A head poked inside.

“Woojin-ah!” Jaebeom exclaimed, rising and waving the younger boy inside. “How are you doing?”

The newcomer had a bittersweet expression on his face. “I’m doing fine, hyung. I suppose I could be better.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’m leaving today.”

An ache shot through Jaebeom’s heart. Oh. Right. “That’s today?” Woojin nodded, searching his face as if to see his reaction. Jaebeom quickly forced a smile. “I’m obviously upset to see you go, but destiny calls. I hope you’re doing something you want, Woojin.”

The boy seemed to sag with the weight of the world. “I hope so, too.”

Jackson stood up, arms spread to embrace him. “It’s a shame. I always did like you better than those brats.” Woojin choked out a watery laugh. “Take care of yourself, you hear me?”

He nodded. “I promise, hyung.”

Jackson clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ve done well, Woojin. Keep doing that.”

The door fell shut.

Jaebeom sat with a heavy heart. “I really didn’t think he—“

“Let’s not talk about that,” Jackson interrupted, finality in his tone. “It was his choice and we should respect it.”

Jaebeom sighed. “You’re right. I can’t imagine what the kids are going through now.”

“Okay, new topic.” His companion nodded to his phone. “What did Youngjae say?”

“How do you know Youngjae—“

“You don’t smile like that for anyone else.” Jackson scooted closer. “So, what did he say? Did he finally get a girlfriend?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote that bit about Woojin the day he left because I was trying to cope and I didn't feel like leaving it out, so I'm sorry for ruining the mood...but I still hope you'll enjoy this as much I loved writing it!


	2. Two Worlds Colliding

Jinyoung was having the absolute WORST day ever.

First he got banished, which was his fault, okay fine, but then he had to get stuck in his animal form until he could shape shift to human, and to top it off, he was abducted to a place where they wanted to put him into more wet stuff and a cage? 

He refused to accept criticism for his actions. So what if his claws tore through their skin? It certainly wasn’t his problem.

The human who brought him there called another one Brian hyung, which Jinyoung assumed was its title of address. He briefly allowed himself to think that this Brian hyung would provide him with food (Jinyoung only just realized he was starving) but before anything else, the human took him and nearly drowned him in the wet stuff. Was it water? It was probably water, but Jinyoung didn’t appreciate being dumped in it at any rate. So he lashed out. If he was in his demon form, he would no doubt have obliterated the pathetic things.

The satisfaction he got from scratching the two was indescribable.  
Okay, maybe it wasn’t fatal, but it certainly kept the Brian hyung and the other one from touching him. If only he wasn’t caged! 

Soon they disappeared.

That’s when Jinyoung realized he was surrounded by yowling cats and dogs and a variety of creatures he had no clue about. They were all  
normal ones, he identified, no demon in disguise. He hissed at the ones nearest him and they screeched, clawing at the bars on their cages, trying to get farther from him.

_That’s right, pathetic creature,_ Jinyoung thought, _fear me. _

No matter how much the animals showed disturbance, he quickly learned, they wouldn’t be let out. The Brian hyung along with another one with longer hair (was it a female? Jinyoung suspected it was a female) came to the back to check what the ruckus was about, but neither of them did anything about it.

From what Jinyoung could hear from the front, he was currently in an ‘animal shelter’. Evident from where he was caged now. Most of the conversation was about him, he was pleased to hear.

But moments stretched into ages and he grew less pleased about the situation. _How long has it been? How does time work here? _

Anyway, after what seemed like forever, a bell rang. Normally, he wouldn’t have cared, but this time the Brian hyung exclaimed, “JB! Yo, cat whisperer, come here, we need your help.” Jinyoung pricked up his ears at that. A cat whisperer? How interesting!

“Ah, is it that little black one?” He heard a new voice say. “Youngjae told me.” And then the two rounded the corner. 

Jinyoung’s breath hitched.

_Wow_, he couldn’t help but think, _that one is beautiful. _

Was his title ‘JB’? Was that how he was addressed?

Brian hyung was still complaining. “All I wanted was to give it a bath, clean it up. Off the street? It’s bound to have fleas. You know we can’t put it up for adoption if it’s infected.” Jinyoung’s heart pounded as the beautiful human approached his cage.

_If only I was human! _ he thought. _Or at least my demon form. I’ve never seen someone so…damn. _

“You see this, JB?” Brian hyung continued, displaying his scratched up forearm for the other to see. “What a vicious brute. Won’t let me near him at all. Even the other cats are scared of it, the little bastard.”

Jinyoung hissed in rage. _Watch who you’re calling bastard, bastard! _

The other human let out a deep, rumbling chuckle. “Looks like it understood what you were saying, huh?” He bent so his face was level with Jinyoung.

_Oh hell, _ Jinyoung thought helplessly, _look at his eyes. And those twin dots above them. _ Then he realized the cage was being opened. And he was being gently lifted into warm, soft hands.

“Hi,” JB said quietly to him. For a split second, Jinyoung froze, thinking that this JB somehow knew he wasn’t a cat but a conscious being. “You’re so small, baby.” Jinyoung hardly realized he was purring contentedly, nuzzling into JB’s hands. “Will you let me clean you up? It doesn’t feel good to be dirty, does it?”

_No, it doesn’t_, Jinyoung agreed. _Do whatever you want. Please call me baby again. _

“You’re really something else,” Brian hyung commented as JB carried him to the sink. “How do you do it? It loves you, that’s not fair! How come I’m the one scratched?”

JB dipped a couple fingers under the tap and ran them over Jinyoung’s back.

_Oh fuck_. Jinyoung stretched delightedly. _That feels so good. _ Above him, JB’s lips split in a wide grin, teeth white and shining. Jinyoung let him continue what he was doing, purring the whole time.

“What breed is he?” he heard JB ask. “I don’t recognize it.”

“Neither do I,” Brian hyung admitted. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

_That’s because I’m a demon, idiot_, Jinyoung teased, allowing JB to dry him off carefully.

“I don’t know how long I can keep it here,” Brian informed the other. “It doesn’t have manners and the other animals seem disturbed by it for some reason.” 

The room was silent as Jinyoung got dried.

“How about I take him for now?” Brian hyung made a confused noise, while Jinyoung couldn’t resist mewing in agreement. JB chuckled. “I’ll introduce him to Nora,” he explained. 

_Wait, Nora? _ Jinyoung was puzzled. _Who’s that? Don’t tell me he has a girlfriend…whatever. That’s never stopped me. I’m here, aren’t I? _

“Ah.” Brian hyung nodded. “She’s chill; she’ll teach him some etiquette.” Jinyoung stuck his tongue out at Brian, who yelped and pointed. “What the hell? I swear it understood what I said?”

The demon tried not to be too pleased with himself.

JB laughed out loud. “I’ve been telling you that for years. Cats are more intelligent than you give them credit for.” He rubbed a spot near Jinyoung’s tail, sending him to another dimension entirely. “Let’s get you fed, shall we?”

Jinyoung purred. _We certainly shall. _

-

When Jaebeom stepped into the shelter, he only had the intention of buying some more cat food and asking about the cat his brother brought in that morning. He didn’t expect to be walking home with said cat.

_If Youngjae was here, he’d call me a traitor, _ Jaebeom mused, careful to keep the carrier steady. The little black cat had eaten a hearty meal back at the shelter and Brian had stood starstruck at the sheer amount of food the creature consumed. It was now sound asleep.

_Poor thing_, Jaebeom sympathized, _it must have been starved. _

He unlocked his apartment slowly to avoid waking the new cat.

“Nora,” he called out, knowing his cat would be dashing out any moment clamouring for food. “Come meet our new friend.”

She got within two feet of the carrier and hissed savagely, much to Jaebeom’s surprise, and refused to come any closer. “What’s wrong, girl?” He crouched down and peered into the carrier. He let out a bark of laughter.  
The little black cat was perched on top of his blanket, sitting on his haunches, almost regally.

_The only thing he’s missing is a crown. _ He opened the carrier. “Nora, this is your dongsaeng. Take care of him, okay?” Jaebeom looked on in amusement as the tiny thing crawled out and poked Nora’s leg. She swatted at him, nearly sending him flying. Compared to her size, the newcomer was hardly anything at all. 

“Nora!” Jaebeom scolded, “It’s only a baby, be gentle!”

The ‘baby’ cat launched itself at her, as if attempting to fight her, but all she did was hold its head away from her, its limbs flailing about, unable to touch her. Jaebeom scooped it up into his arms, where it shivered, then settled down. Nora gave him a look that clearly said, _really? _

“You need a name, don’t you, baby?” Jaebeom murmured, stroking its back until it rolled over comfortably. He remembered how the cat was sitting in the carrier. “How about Prince?”

-

_Finally someone who can appreciate my worth. _

If this was the way Jinyoung had to spend his banishment, he couldn’t say he minded all too much. Especially not with the way JB was coddling him.

_Now, if only I could shift to human form…_

Nora was his cat, thank fuck. Jinyoung was at least saved from the hassle of convincing JB to cheat. His task was simpler in that aspect, but in the meantime, he had to deal with Nora.  
Actually, scratch that. Nora didn’t give two fucks about him. She clearly realized he wasn’t a cat, but didn’t try to run or attack him. Maybe she sensed he wouldn’t hurt anyone.

_And I’m not going to. Honestly. But if anyone thinks I saw JB and I’m not going to get fucked? They’re wrong. One hundred percent. _

Was he being shameless? Yes. Yes, he was.

Did he care? No, he did not.

All that was left was to find out enough about the what the human body looked like to shape shift. He didn’t think it would be much different from what he was used to.

Jinyoung stretched out lazily in the carrier. Maybe this wasn’t so bad—it was like taking a few days off from the chaos. Not to mention he loves it when JB called him baby…

Drowsiness overtook him.  
_Just a few minutes, _ he told himself. _Maybe when I wake up JB will be here. _


	3. It's For Research, Honestly

When he woke up, JB wasn’t there. It wasn’t fair. But Jinyoung heard water running and decided to investigate. The sound led him to a door that was half closed. He crept through it. He appeared to be in some sort of bathroom. But where was the sound coming from?

He turned.

_Holy fuck. _Jinyoung’s eyes widened as much as they could. _Maybe I am blessed after all. _

For there he was, JB in all his glory.

Jinyoung had been right. Humans weren’t too different from them. He could see JB perfectly well through the glass door of the shower stall, soaping up his body. The sight only made Jinyoung salivate. JB was fitter than he’d thought. 

_Fuck, if only I could get my mouth on that…_

He didn’t even realize he was mewling, but apparently it must have been loud enough for JB to hear, pause and peer out through the glass. He broke into an endearing smile, cracking open the door a little. Jinyoung smelled strawberries.

“Hey, Prince,” JB said cheerfully. “You hungry already?”

Jinyoung mewed. JB shook his head, sending drops of water flying.

“I’ll be right out, okay? Give me a second.”

_Take your time, _ the demon thought, settling onto the floor to watch the show. _I’ll do my research while I wait. _

-

_I’m pretty sure I didn’t leave the television on. _ Jaebeom scratched his head, blinking blearily as he stepped into his living room, where an episode of The Bachelorette was blaring on screen. _And I definitely don’t watch that show. Or this channel, to be honest. _

He spotted the remote on the coffee table. Just as he made to pick it up, he heard a mewl. Startled, he glanced up at the sofa. 

Curled up in a barely noticeable ball was Prince. He had his eyes fixed on the television as if he was intently watching it.

Jaebeom’s eyes darted between the TV and the cat, bewildered, before chuckling. “You watching that, Prince?” The cat mewed again. Jaebeom was full on laughing now. “So you’re the one who turned the TV on, huh?” 

Prince seemed too focused on the screen to pay much attention to him. Shaking his head, he lowered the volume but left the television on, turning to make himself and the cats some breakfast.

When he brought his cereal bowl to the table, he glanced over at Prince. Still intently watching The Bachelorette. Did he even understand what was happening on the show? 

Jaebeom coughed, spooning some cereal into his mouth, opening last Sunday’s newspaper. He didn’t normally bother with the newspaper, preferring to read news on his phone, but of late he’d been having some trouble with his eyesight—most likely from staring at his computer in the studio and his phone at home. So his mother had suggested reading print. He obeyed.

He was so engrossed in an article about a corruption scandal that he didn’t notice Prince gazing at him and the paper in front of him. 

-

What was he reading? Jinyoung craned his neck but couldn’t see anything. He’d turned the television on after watching JB do it the night before, hoping to observe other humans and learn how their body worked. Whatever the show he was watching ended up being a great opportunity. But JB was reading something else now. _Would that be useful for me? _

Jinyoung leapt onto the coffee table and with one smooth motion, pressed the ‘power off’ button. Then bounded over onto the dining table, pawing at the paper.

JB seemed startled. “Uh, hi, Prince?” He looked at the television, suddenly realizing it was off. “Bored of the show already?”

Jinyoung cocked his head, staring at the newspaper in front of him, fluently reading the print. He was aware that JB was staring at him, amused. 

_I’d rather read about sex scandals than corruption, _ Jinyoung thought. _Aren’t there any pictures of humans in this? _ He nosed at the pages until JB relented and turned them over for him. He meowed in delight when he found a page that was titled ‘fashion’. JB laughed.

“You’re a trendy one, aren’t you?” He scooped up the last of his breakfast and stood to wash the bowl and return it to its place on the rack. “You stay here and read the paper, yeah? Tell me what’s going on when I get back.” He threw on his jacket. “Your food is in the kitchen. Wake Nora up soon. I’m leaving!”

_See you later_, Jinyoung answered. 

-

The afternoon seemed to repeat yesterday’s. 

A few minutes after JB stepped into the bathroom, Jinyoung followed.

_This is for research purposes, _ he told himself, _it’s not because I want to look at him or anything. _

Halfway into his shower, JB seemed to sense Jinyoung’s presence and looked down at him. He began making odd, silly faces (for Jinyoung’s entertainment, he assumed). What a dork. What a charming dork.

_Wait. _ Jinyoung caught himself. _I’m not supposed to like his charm. I’m a fucking demon. Literally. _ But he kept watching as JB drew shapes in the steam that clung to the glass. _Hm, _ he cocked his head, eyes, focusing on the exposed skin, _maybe I can shapeshift now. I think I have an idea of the human body. _

But he still watched as JB stepped carefully out and wrapped a towel around his waist. “Hey, Prince,” he cooed, running his fingers through wet hair. Jinyoung leapt into his arms when he bent down. JB’s eyes vanished in joy. “I don’t get why Brian said you’re ill-mannered. You’re an angel.”

At that, Jinyoung coughed up a hairball.

_Ew_, he shuddered as JB brushed it away. _Angel? I’d rather die twelve times than be an angel. You must really have a weird concept of angels. _But then JB was petting him and he forgot his indignation.

-

Jinyoung pretended to be asleep when JB left the next morning. He heard him leave instructions to Nora before, though (_“His food is here, don’t eat it, okay? Take care of him while I’m gone, you hear? I’ll try to be back soon, but it’s Thursday, you know anything can happen.” _).

_Does he always talk to his cats like they’re human? _Jinyoung wondered. _How eccentric. I like it. _

Well, today was the day. JB was out of the house and Jinyoung would attempt to shapeshift to a human form. _Wouldn’t it just be easier to possess someone? Perhaps, but I can’t go running around the city giving explanations. _ He padded over to the full length mirror JB had in his bedroom. _What’s the worst that could happen? Either I shapeshift or I don’t. I can always go back to cat form. _

He screwed up his strength and closed his eyes, imagining the human form he had so meticulously drafted in his head. He felt his powers seeping through him, elongating his limbs, enlarging his head, making him appear human.

He opened his eyes and exhaled sharply.

Fuck. It worked.

“Fuck,” he repeated aloud, voice hoarse from lack of use. “It really worked.” And then there he was whooping loudly, turning this way and that to admire himself. Fuck, he was hot. If he saw anyone looking like he did now, they would end up in his bed in a heartbeat. Hell, he’d fuck himself if he could. Damn, he was perfect.

Something hissed behind him. He must have made enough noise to draw Nora to the scene. 

“Oh, shut up, old lady,” he called out good-humouredly. “You’re just jealous of how amazing I look, aren’t you?” He ran his fingers through his hair, smirking. And then he shifted back into a cat.

Nora hissed again. 

_Well, look at that_, Jinyoung thought, his demonic nature creeping in. _Let’s play a game, then. It’s called ‘fuck with Nora until she’s gone crazy’. _

By the end of the afternoon, his shifting had grown so incredibly fluid it was hard to believe he’d only tried it for the first time that morning. But Nora, unfortunately, grew used to it. He paraded around the apartment in victory, head held high. 

_Now all I have to do is seduce him, _ he thought cheerfully. _Am I even allowed to prove I’m a demon? Ah fuck it, who even cares? _

He stretched lazily on the sofa. 

_I’ll burn those bridges when I get to them. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm squealing all while writing this idk why it makes me so happy


	4. Two Worlds Colliding (for real this time)

Jaebeom was having a terrible day already. His heart certainly did not need all this.

That idol finally showed up to the studio. Turns out her grandfather passed away, which kind of made Jaebeom feel bad about the comments he’d made before. She’d had a sort of breakdown as soon as she came in and when Jaebeom had encouragingly suggested using her grandfather as inspiration for the song, she’d got all offended. It took every ounce of Jaebeom’s patience to not explode on her by the end of the session. And Jackson hadn’t done much to improve his mood, either.

And now…this?

“Fucking shit—” Jaebeom had all but yelled in shock when he unlocked his apartment door. He stood there, posed comically, keys in one hand and umbrella in the other, eyes wide.

Because there on his sofa, sat a young man, stark naked.

Once Jaebeom had recovered from the mini heart attack of seeing a naked stranger in his home, he looked everywhere but at the man.

_Is he here to kill me or something? But he’s not moving? He’s not…doing anything at all? And why is he naked? Who the fuck—_

“Hello, JB-ssi,” the stranger said calmly. Which threw him off even more. _He knows me? _

“Sorry, but who the fuck are you?” Jaebeom asked, not caring if he was being rude. “And how the fuck did you get in my apartment?”

The man stood up (causing Jaebeom to determinedly stare at his bookshelf). “You invited me in.”

Jaebeom was growing more and more certain that this was some escaped mental patient. “Why—why aren’t you wearing anything?”

“I don’t have anything to wear,” he replied simply. When the stranger saw that Jaebeom was more lost than ever, he rolled his eyes. “Hello? I’m Prince. The cat you brought in two days ago?”

Jaebeom’s expression did not change in the slightest. The man sighed.

The next thing Jaebeom saw was…something he could never explain. For there, on the sofa, sat the tiny black cat he’d adopted on Tuesday.  
Jaebeom blinked, but the thing was still there. 

What. The. Fuck.

It morphed(?) back into a human, right before his eyes. He clutched the doorframe weakly.

_Am I seeing things? _

He didn’t know how long they stood there, staring at each other. At some point, Nora leapt into the stranger’s lap.

Somewhere, a door creaked open.  
“Oh, hello, Jaebeom!” The voice of his elderly neighbour Mrs. Kim snapped him out of his trance. Fortunately, he had the presence of mind to shut the door before she could glimpse the naked man in his living room and make assumptions.

“Good evening, Mrs. Kim!” he greeted her, well aware that he was trembling, but still attempting not to look suspicious. “It’s been a while.”

“Are you alright, dear?” she asked, concerned. “You seem a little feverish.” Honestly, damn the woman.

“It’s probably just dehydration,” he hastily reassured her. “I’ll drink water once I’m inside. You look like you’re going somewhere, I really shouldn’t keep you waiting.” And he bolted, no peace of mind until he locked the door in her face. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

_Okay, pull yourself together, Jaebeom. So what if it can change shape? It’s just another person. _

He peeked through his lashes. The stranger was still sitting there, stroking Nora absently. 

First step.  
“Why don’t you go to my wardrobe and get, like, a hoodie and some sweatpants or something?” Jaebeom suggested, mouth dry. The man shrugged and stood up. Nora hissed at the sudden movement and leapt onto the floor.

Jaebeom seriously didn’t mean to look. 

_Shit, dude is packing. And he has a nice ass. _  
He nearly slapped himself. _Shut it. The dude is a cat. _  
_So? Minor inconvenience. _

There was way too much going on. The only thing he could register right now was that his little brother might have always been right about the existence of weird stuff in the universe. Fuck, what was happening? He rushed to the kitchen to busy himself. To distract himself.

Jaebeom was so, so confused.

-

Jinyoung found a red hoodie that seemed comfortable and some grey sweatpants. They weren’t his style, but for the time being, this would have to suffice. He certainly didn’t miss the way JB’s face flushed when he saw him.

He waited patiently as JB bustled around the kitchen, breaking squares of tangles into a pot. The awkwardness hung in the air, heavy and Jinyoung had no intention of breaking it.

“So,” JB began, clearing his throat, “what…are you? Are you, like, a werewolf or something?”

Jinyoung scrunched up his nose. “Hell no. Filthy dog breeds. I’m a _demon_.” He said that as if that was much better an answer.

JB’s breath hitched. “A demon?” And then incoherent mumbling.

“What?”

His ears must be sweltering, judging by their redness. “You don’t…look like a demon, though?”

Jinyoung was beginning to think that JB might be a bit of an idiot. “Obviously I don’t. I can shapeshift. I doubt you would find my demon form very flattering.”

Flustered JB was endearing. Jinyoung found that he liked to make JB nervous. “You—ah, no, never mind.”

“What is it, JB-ssi?”

He jolted. “How do you know my name?”

Jinyoung shrugged. “I heard that Brian hyung call you that.” He could almost see the gears slowly shifting in JB’s head.

“So…you can understand stuff when you’re a cat?”

“Of course.” Jinyoung scooted closer, peering into the pot of boiling water. JB tensed at the proximity.

“Wait.” The spoon clattered onto the countertop. He looked scandalized. “But—you—when I was showering…!”

Oh. _That. _

A smug little smile crept across Jinyoung’s lips.

“Why, JB-ssi?” he simpered. “Did you not like it?” A shiver ran through the other. “No,” he said firmly, stepping away from Jinyoung. “Sit.”

Jinyoung looked highly affronted. “Excuse me?”

JB pointed to the dining table. “You heard me. Sit.” 

He drew himself up to his fullest. “Do I look like a dog to you?”

“No, you’re a cat. Regardless.” Jaebeom was too tired to deal with this bullshit. “Go sit down if you want food. You’re distracting.”

Jinyoung might have been placated. “I’ve heard that before.”

-

The atmosphere was tense at the dining table. Or was it? The demon or whatever didn’t seem to feel anything off, from the way it was slurping down the noodles like it was starved. Jaebeom’s chopsticks dangled between his fingers as he stared incredulously at the stranger. 

“I know I’m gorgeous, but you don’t have to stare all the time, you know.” Jaebeom spluttered at the demon’s words, eyeing anxiously the slow curl of its lips. 

“I—ah…” Jaebeom couldn’t even deny he wasn’t looking. There was far too much going on and he couldn’t wrap his head around it. “You’re—really a demon?”

It nodded, chewing determinedly through a piece of chicken. “Of course.”

“Why are you here? Did—did I do something?” Jaebeom was scared, to say the least. “Were you sent here to punish me?”

The _demon_ rolled its eyes. “Do I look like an angel to you?” Jaebeom was glad that was a rhetorical question, because yes, yes he did, and he certainly didn’t want the other to know that. “Why should I punish your sins? I’m a demon—” _Yes, that’s about the hundredth time you said it, I get it;_ “—we don’t punish sins, we _ celebrate _ them.”

Jaebeom blinked. “Okay, then. Um. So what—sin—have I committed to…make you celebrate it?”

The demon looked up at him through its lashes, biting its lip coyly. “Being too pretty.”

His breath hitched at the demon’s expression. “Wh—what?” He watched, breathless as it pushed its bowl away, rising and draping itself over the table, inching closer to him, body stretching obscenely.

“For being too _beautiful_. For being _ far too tempting _.” Closer and closer it dragged itself, a finger’s breadth from his face. He could feel its warm, heavy breathing—could count its eyelashes. Its voice dropped to less than a whisper. “_For being such a bad boy_.” 

A shuddering breath was forced out of him, one Jaebeom hadn’t realized he was holding. 

“But seriously, though,” the demon said normally, sinking back into his seat as if nothing had happened. Jaebeom swallowed and found that his throat was dry. “Don’t think I came here because of you. Well, I mean, yeah, after I saw you at the shelter, I came _here_ with you, but I mean, I didn’t come to earth because of you.” He (Jaebeom assumed it was a he) shrugged, waving a hand dismissively. “I got myself banished. Was being stupid, but now,” his eyes raked over Jaebeom, “I don’t really regret it much.”

Jaebeom chose to ignore the blush that surely tinted his cheeks. “So you just ended up in my apartment by chance? And now you can’t leave?”

The demon shrugged. “Not until my banisher lets me back, I suppose.”

Jaebeom bit his lip. _ This isn’t good. Not at all. What am I supposed to do?_

“So I just have to let you stay here? Do I not have the choice to kick you out?”

It (he?) pouted, plump lips jutting out. “You really want me to leave? I can do a lot for you, you know.” He raised his chopsticks to his lips and sucked on them. Jaebeom gritted his teeth. Seeing that he wasn’t about to jump him, the demon sighed and let them clatter back into his empty bowl. “Fine. Technically, because this is _ your _ home and because you invited me in, I’m obliged, as a guest, to follow whatever rules you set. Until you kick me out, that is. Because then I can do anything I want.”

Jaebeom processed all this carefully. “So if I let you stay, you have to follow my rules.”

“Pretty much.”

“Okay.” Jaebeom made his decision. 

The demon perked up. “You’ll let me stay?”

_I don’t think I have much of a choice, do I?_ “Yeah, you can stay. But there’s a few rules.” He propped his chin on one hand, waiting. “One, you’re not supposed to answer the door or go outside without my permission.” Jaebeom paused, for agreement.

“Sure, I have enough to do here, anyway.” Jaebeom tore his eyes away from his lips, which he had just licked suggestively.

“_Two_,” he pressed forward, “if anyone comes here, you should be in your cat form and you shouldn’t tell anyone that you’re a demon. Or whatever.” A nod. “Three, stop being like—that.”

He tilted his head. “Like what?”

Jaebeom gestured vaguely. “All…seductive, like. Stop playing those games.”

“Why? Am I not pretty enough?” 

He sighed bitterly. “It’s not about that—” he broke off, only then realizing he didn’t have a name to call him by. “What’s your name? Do you have one?”

He rolled his eyes again. “Of course I have a name. Jinyoung.”

Jinyoung. _ Jinyoung._

“Well, Jinyoung, it’s not because you aren’t pretty; you are,” he flushed, “it’s that—well, first of all, you’re an actual demon and I’m pretty sure that’s unethical, and second…” He rubbed his temples. “I’m a busy man. I have a lot of projects to complete and I’ll be working here a lot of the time. I can’t afford to get sidetracked; it’ll cost me my job. Possibly my whole career. So. Yeah. Don’t do that.”

The demon (_Jinyoung_) seemed put out by his words, but he finally nodded. “Okay. Your rules are binding. If you say I can’t, then I can’t.”

Relief coursed through Jaebeom. “Alright then. You’re welcome to stay until you can get back. Is there anything I can do to make that any faster?”

Was he imagining it, or was there a sort of funny smile flitting across his lips? “No, JB-ssi. There isn’t anything.”


	5. Going Home For The Weekend

Jaebeom was stressed. Severely. 

The new addition to his home wasn’t doing him any help. It made him nervous. Although he knew the demon wasn’t allowed to do anything against his rules, it still kept trying to find ways to wriggle through them. Maybe Jaebeom was just really _deprived_, but the damned thing would walk around sucking whatever he could get his mouth on, be it utensils or lollipops or pens stolen from Jaebeom’s desk. And the only time he tried to call him out on it, he simply shrugged and said, “I’m not _trying_ to seduce you. I just like having things in my mouth. I’m not even looking at you; if this turns you on, maybe it’s _your_ problem and not mine.” Then he’d just walked away, leaving Jaebeom there speechless.

He mostly ignored it. As much as humanly possible to ignore another person. He wouldn’t deny that he did occasionally hear certain noises from the spare bedroom, but he played his music, blocked it out. _Immediately._

What’s worse was that Jackson had caught on that he was stressed as fuck. True, Jackson was gullible enough to believe that the unusual amount of stress was because of work, but still, he didn’t know _what_ he would do should Jackson come over to his place and Jinyoung conveniently chose not to obey his rules. 

Jackson was going on and on about some guy he met (Mark, was it?) and Jaebeom was barely trying to listen. All he could think of was that his mother had called him home for the weekend and he was torn between taking the demon with him and Nora, or leaving it there. And who knows what it would get up to over the weekend in an empty house.

-

He needn’t have broken his brain over that choice, as it turned out. Jinyoung was quite adamant about the matter when he presented it to him. He would accompany Jaebeom. No question. 

“Fine, but _only_ if you promise to stay in cat form,” Jaebeom repeated firmly, to which Jinyoung just waved his hand in a ‘sure, fine, whatever you say’ gesture. Jaebeom gritted his teeth. This weekend was going to be a lot tougher to handle than he would like. And he was _not_ looking forward to it at all. 

Why did he have to take the damned thing home with him that day?

-

“You _adopted_ it?!”

Jaebeom winced at his younger brother’s loud voice and emphatic tone. “Sorry, Youngjae, it’s not permanent, I’m just keeping him for the time being. Until he’s trained and all.” _Until he’s no longer banished from hell would be slightly more accurate_, he thought. But he couldn’t say that.

“Youngjae-ah, leave your brother alone,” their mother scolded, looking at Jaebeom fondly as if he’d come home after the war. “I’m sure it’s a perfectly fine kitten.”

_Sure, it is, ma,_ Jaebeom said to himself, _a perfectly fine kitten._

“Go on you two,” Jaebeom told the cats, “go and occupy yourselves. And Prince, don’t destroy anything, okay?” Youngjae rolled his eyes at his hyung’s eccentricities. “Ma, don’t mind us, we’ll just be upstairs, okay?” And then he pulled on his brother’s arm.

“Hyung, wha—” Youngjae’s protest was cut off by Jaebeom putting a finger to his lips. Intrigued by the secrecy of the gesture, he fell silent and followed the elder to his room. 

Jaebeom tugged him into his bedroom and closed the door carefully. 

“What’s up, hyung?” Youngjae asked. “You look stressed out.”

“That might be an understatement.” Jaebeom ran his fingers through his hair, visibly upset and nearly trembling. “I need your help. Sort of.”

“You sort of need my help?”

“Yeah.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “You know stuff about magic and…stuff like that, right?”

Youngjae crossed his arms. “What if I do?”

Here went nothing. “What do you know about demons?”

A silence followed those words in which his brother looked at him very, very suspiciously. “Why?”

Jaebeom let out an exasperated sigh. “Why does the ‘why’ matter? Can’t you just tell me?”

“You tell me why you need to know that and I’ll tell you what I know.”

_This brat._ Jaebeom didn’t know where he went wrong in raising him. But he couldn’t refuse his little brother and he really needed to know what he was up against. 

So he explained the entire situation. Youngjae’s jaw was on the ground by the time he was done. 

“A _demon_? You’re so lucky, hyung!” He was practically bouncing in excitement. “Can I see him shapeshift? Can you introduce me? Even though technically, I’m the one who found him first.” His lips twisted into a scowl.

Jaebeom sighed, but conceded, going to the door and calling for Prince. The tiny black cat came scampering towards him immediately, from where he didn’t know. He let it inside the room, then safely closed the door. 

“Jinyoung, this is my little brother, Youngjae,” he said to it. The cat tilted its head to regard the new acquaintance. “He’s got a question for you.”

Youngjae looked sheepish. “Ah. Jinyoung-ssi. Excuse me, but…could you shapeshift? I’m really curious about what that looks like.”

Jaebeom saw the cat narrow its eyes and instinctively stepped closer to his brother. He didn’t need to, however, because the next moment Prince was Jinyoung.

“Whoa!” Youngjae exclaimed, eyes wide. “You’re really…!”

There was a funny expression on Jinyoung’s face as he analysed the youngest, like he’d found someone who could be entertaining enough to devote some of his precious time for.

Jaebeom didn’t like that one bit.

Footsteps. Right outside their door.

Before any of them could react, the doorknob turned.

The door opened.


	6. Making the Worst out of a Bad Situation

“Oh my god!” Their mother shrieked in surprise, pointing at Jinyoung with a shaky finger. “What—who is this! What is going on?”

Jaebeom was stuck. Like, there were a million problems that had just been created revising themselves in his brain and he literally couldn’t speak. What would he say to explain this, anyway?

“Ma, calm down,” Youngjae interfered. “This is hyung’s boyfriend.”

That shocked his mother enough to make her stop babbling in confusion. “What?”

Jaebeom was equally shocked. “_What?_”

“Jaebeom has a boyfriend?” His mother seemed to have mixed emotions. 

Youngjae just took over the situation. _This brat was just born to lie_, Jaebeom thought bitterly. 

“Yeah, ma, Jinyoung hyung was just passing through the area and so he dropped in,” he explained. “Didn’t you hear the doorbell ringing?” Their mother shook her head absently. 

“But how could he not say anything to me?” She planted her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you tell me, Jaebeom?”

“He told me he wanted to take things slow,” Jinyoung spoke up. The three others paused and looked at him. He smiled warmly at the aging woman. “I told him I was more than ready to meet you, but he was worried about going too fast.”

_What the fuck._ If Jaebeom’s eyes were daggers, he would have killed both of them by now. _If only he wasn’t a fucking demon, I would’ve beat his ass for this._ Youngjae’s eyes glittered in mirth. 

He watched in mild panic and horror at the expression on his mother’s face change from confusion and disappointment to joy and complete approval. 

“Come down and stay for dinner, won’t you, dear?” she asked, grasping Jinyoung’s arm and pulling him out of the door. 

“Oh, Youngjae-ah, you’re so dead,” Jaebeom muttered before traipsing down after them.

-

Jaebeom was appalled at his mother’s behaviour. Since when did she coo over guests and feed them and talk to them like that? And why was Jinyoung being such a goody-goody?

“So, tell me, how did you two meet?” She simpered. 

“Yeah, hyung, how did you meet? Tell us the whole story.” Youngjae’s grin had Jaebeom clenching his fists under the table. 

“We met in the studio, ma’am,” Jinyoung began. “The thing is, I really wanted to be a singer, so I came to Ilsan from Busan.”

“You met in the studio?” His mother was surprised. “Omo, then why didn’t Jackson say anything about it?”

“Yeah, hyung, why didn’t Jackson—ah! Ow!” Jaebeom finally pinched Youngjae’s leg. 

“That’s because I didn’t tell Jackson, ma.” Jaebeom wished for nothing other than the earth to swallow him up.

“Why would hyung bring Jackson into this, Jinyoung hyung would run away.” Apparently his brother hadn’t got the message yet.

Jinyoung, however, was just calmly sitting there, fully enjoying the drama unfolding around him. His hypnotic skills were still working just fine. JB—_Jaebeom_, huh? His mother was perfectly gullible. A perfect target. 

“So, where do you stay, dear? Coming all the way from Busan?” What cute questions she had. “Weren’t your parents worried at all, sending you here alone?”

Time to play up the feels. “Ah, actually, I don’t—I’ve never known who my parents were…” He trailed off, glancing around sadly. “But it’s okay, Jaebeom takes care of me. I stay with him.”

His mother had a hand over her heart. “Oh, you poor thing. Jaebeom, you look after him, okay? You heard me?”

_What had the world come to?_ “Yes, ma,” he drawled. Youngjae nudged him in Jinyoung’s direction so hard he nearly fell over and he hastily grabbed Jinyoung’s hand, just for show. His mother sat back in her chair, satisfied.

-

Once the three were alone in Jaebeom’s room, Jinyoung watched in amusement as he smacked Youngjae hard across the arm. 

“Why would you do that?!”

Youngjae pouted and rubbed the sore skin. “What was I supposed to say? That he’s a shapeshift—” he lowered his voice, “—shapeshifting demon who happens to be the cat Prince?”

Jinyoung was preening at JB’s embarrassment and the fact that he was so easily able to charm his entire family. 

“It’s only a matter of time until Jackson finds out, what am I going to do after that?” JB looked close to tearing his hair out. “You _know_ he puts his nose in everywhere, what am I going to tell him?”

Youngjae cackled (quite impressively so, Jinyoung could never). “So? It’s okay. When he leaves, just say you broke up with him and he went back to Busan. No one’s going to follow him there. And then you can come home for an afternoon and pretend to cry your eyeballs out to ma.” He shrugged. “It’s the perfect excuse.”

“No, it’s not,” Jaebeom insisted, glancing over at Jinyoung, face red. “Ah, you’re too young to understand.”

“Excuse me? Whatever, hyung, I know enough.” Youngjae plopped onto Jaebeom’s bed and closed his eyes. 

“You’re also called hyung?” Jinyoung enquired. “Can I also call you hyung?”

Jaebeom looked taken aback. “Ah…um, yeah, okay.” Was it Jinyoung’s imagination, or was his face turning redder?

“Why are you blushing, hyung?” Youngjae called out loudly, ripping off any shield Jaebeom had left. “Ah, so cute!”

“Yah, you punk!” Jaebeom leapt onto the bed, wrestling his brother to the mattress and tickling him until he was begging for mercy. 

Sliding out from Jaebeom’s grip, Youngjae presented a new problem. “How are we going to get him out of here?”

“What do you mean?”

“It was easy to fool ma into thinking the bell rang when it didn’t, but when he has to leave she’ll insist on seeing him off.” Jinyoung sat on the edge of the bed and Jaebeom scrambled to put some distance between them. 

“I can just say I’m leaving and sneak back in as a cat, it’s not that hard.” Jaebeom and Youngjae looked at each other.

“Wah, that was easy,” Youngjae remarked. 

Alas, their mother seemed to have other plans. When they marched Jinyoung downstairs to tell her that he should be leaving, she stopped them with a scandalized look on her face. 

“What are you saying? Jinyoung can stay the night, can’t you dear?” She gazed expectantly at him, and he looked over at Jaebeom, as if to ask his opinion.

“Ma, he must have things to do—”

“You shut your mouth! Jinyoung-ah, there’s plenty of room, don’t be shy. You two can go back together after the weekend, right?”

“You’re right,” Jinyoung agreed, smirking at Jaebeom. “That _is_ a good idea.”

“Jaebeom can share his bed tonight, can’t he?” 

_Why was the universe so adamant that he not get any peace of mind?_

“Sure, ma. Of course.” 

(Youngjae is cackling. Why is Youngjae always fucking cackling?)

“Don’t worry, hyung,” Jinyoung whispered to him later that night when they were getting ready to go to bed. “I’ll shift into a cat so it’s easier for you.”

Jaebeom inwardly groaned. _What use is that when I already know it’s him?_

But they sleep that way. Jaebeom locked the door, just in case his mother checks in on them in the middle of the night and sees a tiny cat curled up in a ball where Jinyoung should be.


	7. A Trip 'Round Town

Jinyoung woke the next morning to the smell of food being cooked. _Surely it must be food, nothing else smells so delicious, does it?_ The fumes wafting his way was more than enough to get him off the bed and downstairs.

He found the kitchen and Jaebeom in it. 

“Ah, you’re up.” Jaebeom nodded at him, mouth in a tight line. Jinyoung’s eyes raked over his dishevelled form. Jaebeom was wearing an apron over his shorts and the ratty old shirt (Jinyoung couldn’t understand why he was afraid to get that dirty). He did notice that the house was quiet, apart from the scraping of utensils against the pan Jaebeom was using.

“Where are the others?” Jinyoung asked. “Your mother and brother?”

Jaebeom glanced over at him. “They went to church. It’s Sunday.”

Jinyoung let his face express disgust. “What a useless ritual. Do they still believe that their god has only time to hear them?” He saw the corner of Jaebeom’s mouth twitching. “Why didn’t you go?”

Jaebeom shook his head. “I’m not very religious,” he admitted. “I can pray anywhere; I don’t need to go to church for it.” Jinyoung considered his answer. He didn’t understand religion at all, but let beliefs be, right? Jaebeom transferred whatever he’d made onto a plate and handed it to him. “You should know, right? If God is real?”

Jinyoung followed him out of the kitchen, plunking the plate onto the table. “I’ve never met him, personally. The angels are awful. Sometimes I think he’s a scam, you know.” He scooped the stuff into his mouth and let out a pleased noise, legs kicking out under the table, accidentally hitting something. Jaebeom sat up. 

Jinyoung couldn’t recognize the expression on his face. Was it amusement? Confusion? Or something else?

“You know, I thought you’d be a lot worse,” he remarked, returning his focus to his breakfast. “But you seem chill. If you weren’t a demon, we might have been friends.”

Jinyoung was taken aback. He pouted. “Why, can’t we be friends even if I’m a demon?” He shifted in his seat. “Am I not fun to be around?” He pushed his plate away and crossed his arms. Jaebeom was bewildered at the sudden change in attitude. 

“I—I didn’t say that,” he stammered, trying to undo the damage. “I was just saying…” He trailed off, realizing he didn’t really have an excuse. He cast around for something, _anything_ to redeem himself and shift the blame. “Well if you would just behave, maybe we could be!”

“Behave how?” Jinyoung stood up and made his way around the table to plop himself in Jaebeom’s lap. “You mean like this?” 

Jaebeom immediately tensed, partly trying not to touch him at all, and partly wanting nothing more than to shove him off at once. As a result, his fingers did a funny little spasm before gripping the sides of the chair seat. 

“What—what are you doing?” he spluttered, leaning as far away from Jinyoung as he could. “You—you said—!”

“What did I say, Jaebeom?” he murmured, slinging an arm around his neck, gaze flickering to his lips.

Jaebeom’s eyes dragged irresistibly to Jinyoung’s own lips but then looked determinedly away. “You—you said you would obey what I told you!” 

“Yes. In your house. But you aren’t in charge here.” Jinyoung pressed still closer and Jaebeom squeezed his eyes shut. His heart rate had escalated. The demon could feel it. “Are you?”

“Hyung!” 

Youngjae’s loud voice had never felt more welcome to Jaebeom than now. He scrambled to his feet, pushing Jinyoung away, as far as he could go. His mother was there, smiling fondly in an embarrassed way (why was she embarrassed? Jaebeom was _this_ close to killing himself) and Youngjae just looked horrified and disgusted. 

Jaebeom bowed in greeting. “Sorry, Ma. I didn’t—”

“Oh, it’s okay. Don’t make such a big fuss.” She turned to Jinyoung. “Did you sleep well, dear?” (Jaebeom knew his brother was going to cough or laugh, so he tackled him behind their mother’s back.) The demon (crap, his mother shouldn’t know about that) smiled amicably and said yes, he had. “You should take Jinyoung around the neighbourhood, Jaebeom. Show him where you grew up.”

“Ma.” That was the last thing he wanted, to spend more time with the damned thing in public. “Ma, he probably has things to do—”

“I’m free, Jaebeom hyung.” He gritted his teeth as his ‘boyfriend’ shot him a coy smile. “Show me _everything_.”

“That settles it, then. You boys get some fresh air. Youngjae-ah, go with them.”

“Yes, Ma! Of course!” Youngjae’s cackle filled the air as his mother went into the kitchen. Jaebeom smacked him on the back of his head. Jinyoung personally thought his cackle was worthy of being a demon in itself.

Youngjae, as it turned out, had taken the responsibility of showing Jinyoung around to heart. He seemed quite persistent when it came to embarrassing his brother. He took (read: _forced_) them to a park in the neighbourhood, one that he claimed Jaebeom used to _frequent_ when he was in school.

“I didn’t know until later that hyung came here to flirt with the noonas that hung out here,” he explained, side-eyeing Jaebeom and walking an arm’s distance away lest his brother should snag him. “But then he turned out gay anyway.” Jinyoung was thoroughly amused at the red crawling up Jaebeom’s face.

“I told you, I’m not gay.” The exasperation in Jaebeom’s voice made Youngjae step away farther. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved it off. “You’re straight _except_ for Jun—” Jaebeom moved with remarkable speed to his little brother’s side and clamped a hand over his mouth. 

“Shut up,” he hissed. “You’ve done enough today.” Youngjae looked sufficiently chastised. 

_Then what are you? Straight except for who? I can turn you though…right?_ Jinyoung poked his tongue into his cheek, wondering what made Jaebeom so resistant to him. _Is he in love, waiting for someone? But I’ve never found any mention of anyone in his room; all the names there are from his studio files._

“Hyung, come swing,” Youngjae called out to him. “Jaebeom hyung will push us, right?” 

The eldest muttered under his breath, but relented, a fond nostalgic look on his face. Jinyoung bounced happily over to the swingset and (unsure of what to do, he copied Youngjae) sat down next to him. 

“Jinyoung hyung first,” the youngest demanded. Jaebeom complied, hooking his fingers into the space between the chains and the seat and pulled him back as far as the equipment would allow. Jinyoung froze, scrambling to get a better grip on the supports and tucked his legs in.

And then Jaebeom let go. 

Jinyoung shrieked, hating the nauseous swoop in his stomach. He squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering. _What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck this is what humans do for fun what the fuck is this waht the fUCK!_ He chanced a peek and the ground was swaying horribly. 

Then Youngjae was laughing alongside him and so was Jaebeom. 

Something funny lodged itself in Jinyoung’s chest. _Stupid swing, stupid sw—what the FUCK!_

For suddenly he was pulled back high over Jaebeom’s head and…and _held_ there. Jinyoung flailed in his seat, the height and what could happen if he fell scaring him enough to want to get off, want to _stop_ right now. 

And then Jaebeom was running with his seat, under his seat, fucking _tossing_ his seat over his head and the Jinyoung was falling, falling, _falling._ Flat on his back and the wind was knocked out of him. He blinked dizzily, gasping for air.

“_Shit_, Jinyoung. Fuck I’m sorry.” Hands, warm comfortable hands were lifting him up and then he was pressed against something solid. Fingers were gently raking through his hair, removing the dirt that must be stuck in the strands. “Youngjae-ah,” murmured a voice very close to his ear, “get some water, will you?”

“Okay, hyung.” 

Soon enough, the world stopped spinning and he opened his eyes to find himself on a bench. Jaebeom’s head came into view, peering down concernedly. “Hey. You okay?”

Jinyoung sat up slowly, adjusting to this new situation he had found himself in. How pathetic would it be if word got out that he couldn’t handle something human _children_ do? He nodded. “Yeah. Yes, I’m okay.” Youngjae came running over with a bottle of water and Jinyoung allowed Jaebeom to tilt his head back and dribble some of the cold liquid into his mouth. He would never admit it, but he liked it. He liked this physical intimacy he was receiving after such a long time (it was barely contact, but he was desperate). 

And he liked that it was from Jaebeom. Their gazes met and Jaebeom evidently realized he was being a little too much.

“Youngjae, hi!” Someone called out, shattering the moment. Youngjae sat up and waved to the girls approaching them. 

“Classmates,” he muttered. 

“Jaebeom oppa, hello!” And then it was clear who they had actually come over for. Youngjae winced visibly, turning to hide his face. “You haven’t been here in so long!”

“I was here a couple weeks ago,” Jaebeom deadpanned, pursing his lips. Jinyoung could sense his irritation wafting off him. It was only too easy to imagine Jaebeom being the hot older brother who came to pick up Youngjae from school. The smiles on the girls’ faces faded a little, but then brightened on noticing Jinyoung. 

“Oh, who’s this, oppa? Your friend?” They giggled. “He’s so handsome!”

Youngjae retched quietly. Jinyoung felt a stab of jealousy and possessiveness.

“I’m his _boyfriend_,” he said promptly, looping his arm into Jaebeom’s and planting a kiss on his cheek. Jaebeom jolted but kept his cool. 

The girls looked abashed. Bowing in apology, they rushed away. Jinyoung was pleased to see that their ears were red. _Serves them right for ogling someone else’s man._

Jaebeom shifted. His face was flushed and he stared at the ground. Youngjae glanced between the two, very much feeling the awkward tension in the air.

“Let’s go, then, hyungs!” he chirped, standing up and pulling them along. “Onward!”


	8. Digging Deeper

Youngjae’s idea of _onward_ was visiting his school, that is to say, Jaebeom’s old one. It would have been boring, but the youngest kept the conversation flowing with stories from their childhood that he considered sufficiently embarrassing. 

_It’s truly a pity that I love him so much,_ Jaebeom thought to himself. 

They had lunch at a little diner that he used to go to all the time after school. The ajhumma that worked there doted on the two of them as if they were her own children. That was the one highlight of his day. He found that his feet carried him along quicker, if just to see that old woman. Nothing eventful happened on the way back, thank the lord, save for Jackson’s frantic texts about how that guy wonder asked him out and whatnot (but that’s just TMI at this point).

They returned home in the nick of time, for the rain began as Jaebeom closed the front door behind them. 

His mother fussed over the new addition to their household so much that it began to get irritating. And confusing, come to think of it. Since when was his mother so welcoming to strangers? He suspected that Jinyoung had something to do with it, but he couldn’t very well ask in front of her! 

Jinyoung cheerfully continued his elaborate story of how they met and wooed to his eager mother.

Jaebeom couldn’t help but wish it were true. 

_No,_ he hastily corrected himself. _Not with this guy, I mean in general. I mean, maybe? If he wasn’t a demon? And if he knew what personal space was?_ Even Jackson had taken to asking him if he was okay, from the sheer number of songs he wrote about wanting a relationship, wanting to be loved, wanting to never let go. It was humiliating, sometimes. His fans loved his music, but…his life wasn’t theirs, right?

He watched more than listened as Jinyoung expressively described something they must have done in his fantasy story. 

_His eyes crinkle when he smiles,_ Jaebeom noticed, jolting a little in his seat. The others in the room barely spared him a glance. Jinyoung looked over at him and wet his lips, before turning back to his mother and resuming the tale. Jaebeom swallowed, ashamed of how that seemingly simple gesture sent a pulse of arousal through him. _What the fuck, he just did that because his lips were dry from talking so much, why the fuck are you thinking like that?_

Jaebeom shifted uncomfortably, horrified at the thought of almost getting hard because of a demon. In front of his mother, no less! His eyes locked with his brother’s. 

Youngjae’s mouth was open, astounded at the sight he just witnessed. He didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand what happened. He eyed Jaebeom up and down disapprovingly before shaking his head. Jaebeom’s cheeks burned. 

“Excuse me,” he managed to utter before standing up and bolting.

Once in his room, he let out a shaky breath. “Jaebeom, what the fuck,” he muttered to himself, collapsing onto his bed.

-

He was shaken awake maybe an hour or so later by Youngjae. 

“Hyung, come on, get up.” He smacked Jaebeom once more for good measure, swiftly dodging the punch that was returned. “You need to leave before it gets dark. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled before sitting up and rubbing his eyes. And then flinched at Jinyoung sitting beside him, an open book on his lap. _That’s not a book,_ he realized as he squinted at it, _that’s an old photo album!_ “Yah, where did you get this?!”

“Your mother showed me,” he replied smoothly, turning over yet another page. Jaebeom cringed at the snaps. Those weren’t particularly things he wanted to remember, but Youngjae giggled and pointed at one of them. 

“That’s the time when Appa took us to family home and hyung got all whiny when he wouldn’t let us play in the woods. So hyung climbed a tree in protest and then he couldn’t get down so he cried. Like a cat. And Appa just left him there for an hour as a punishment.” He jabbed his finger at another figure in the photo. “And that’s Junho hyung. He—"

Something in Jaebeom’s chest twisted. “Enough, Youngjae.” Catching a glimpse of his brother’s face, he shut his mouth obediently.

“Is this your father?” Jinyoung asked, observing the man standing alongside them. Youngjae nodded. “Where is he now?”

The boy bowed his head. “Ah, they got divorced when I started middle school.” Jinyoung hadn’t really understood that, Jaebeom could tell. “He wasn’t that bad; maybe I’m just too young to remember most of it, but I always had fun with him. He sometimes came to see us on weekends and vacations, but—” he quickly looked at Jaebeom, “—hyung never really talked to him much.”

“Don’t paint him in that light,” Jaebeom snapped, before Jinyoung could ask why. “He was an alcoholic asshole who deserved to get beat up. Don’t say he was a good person.” Youngjae curled up in on himself, afraid of the eldest’s temper, mumbling a ‘sorry’. Jinyoung, taken aback at this display of aggressive emotion in a usually collected man, reached out and curled a hand over Jaebeom’s wrist, pressing his thumb into his pulse point. Jaebeom tried to jerk away but the demon held fast. 

His breath hitched. From his pulse spread a cold yet warm feeling, like something soothing him from the inside. His heart beat slowed. He could hear something apart from the sudden pounding of blood in his ears. His breathing calmed. 

He stared, mesmerized, at Jinyoung, unable to tear his gaze away. 

_His eyes are magnetic._

The corner of Jinyoung’s mouth lifted. The pressure disappeared. And then the next thing he knew was a clump of cotton slamming into his face, sending him flying backward onto the mattress. 

“Wha—” He spluttered. 

In Jinyoung’s hands was a pillow. The happy glow on his face knocked the wind out of him. _He looks so effortlessly…real. Human._

Youngjae lit up, dashing off to his room to stock up his own ammunition. Jaebeom stared at Jinyoung in disbelief, telling himself firmly that that smile and that laugh and _those eyes and the warmth in them didn’t do anything to his heart_. It _didn’t_. His hands felt around for the other pillow that he was sure should be around there somewhere. After all, he needed ammo too.

“Pillow fight!” Youngjae yelled, running back into the room and walloping his brother on the head. 

“Yah! You get back here!” 

The ‘fight’ lasted for a good half an hour and spread all throughout the house until their mother scolded them severely and bid them adieu. Pretending that Prince was already in his carrier in the car (Jackson’s, to be precise), the two of them left the house. Finally. 

Jaebeom exhaled heavily, mostly in relief. That was one ordeal that was solved. 

Okay, _almost_ solved. 

But it was all Youngjae’s fault. Not his.

-

As they neared the intersection, Jaebeom’s phone vibrated. He brought the car to a stop at the red light and pulled it out, gaping at the dozen messages he’d just received. From Jackson.

_What now?_

wang: YAH  
wang: YOU  
wang: DEF SIR  
wang: hyung I mean  
wang: HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME  
wang: DO I HAVE TO FIND OUT FROM YOUR MOTHER  
wang: I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND I TELL YOU ALL MY SHIT  
wang: YOU HAVE A BOYF??/??!?!?/!  
wang: your gonna let me meet him ryt  
wang: you HAVE TO  
wang: I wont scrae him away I promise  
wang: scare  
wang: thts wht I meant  
wang: HYUNG

The free hand he’d kept on the steering fell in shock. 

“Oh, fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoiler alert im gonna go wowp on this hehe


	9. I'm Not Evil, Just Sorry

For the rest of the next week, Jackson was pestering Jaebeom about this new piece of gossip he had acquired. The man in question was very, very close to breaking point. 

“JB, come on, I’m your _best friend_!” He whined, prancing around him impatiently. “I told you about Mark; you want to meet him? I can bring him over.”

“Jackson,” Jaebeom repeated firmly, “you are not meeting this guy because he doesn’t exist. Youngjae was just lying to Ma. It doesn’t make any difference whether you introduce me to your new fling or not.”

“Hey, he’s not a fling, okay?” he replied defensively. “We’re actually dating now.”

“Whatever.” Jaebeom was so done with Jackson’s antics. He had more pressing problems to think about. Like the fact that the new idol’s track he was working on had to be done in two days and that Jinyoung seemed a bit too quiet to be up to anything good. 

-

When he finally did return home that evening, he found that the apartment smelled strongly of something burnt. Panicking, he rushed into the kitchen to find Jinyoung staring at an overflowing pot on the stove in utter horror. 

“Yah!” Jaebeom shouted, already rummaging for a cloth to hold the handles of the pot with. “What are you trying to do?” Even as he snatched up a rag from a drawer, a pan next to the pot, that he’d overlooked caught fire. Jinyoung yelled in shock, throwing up his arms to hide his face from the flames. Jaebeom grabbed him roughly and pushed him out of the kitchen. “Get out!”

He barely heard a whimper before he was turning the stove off and hastily putting the lid over the fire. He knew better than to pour water over it. Jackson had nearly burned his apartment building down once and after that, he’d been paranoid for months. 

He transferred the pot to the sink and proceeded to mop up the mess on the floor. 

Once he was finished, he began to feel a tad guilty for making Jinyoung feel bad about the situation. 

_Where is Jinyoung, anyway?_

His search was short, however. His flatmate was holed up in the bathroom. Locked. Jaebeom could hear muffled sobs coming from it. He winced and tapped on the door.

“Jinyoung?” He called out. The crying stopped but he didn’t open it. “Jinyoung, I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.” No response. “It’s just that…I have bad experiences with letting other people in my kitchen. Not that it’s an excuse, but…” 

When he still failed to get an answer, he knocked again. “Jinyoung, I’m sorry. It’s okay, there’s no damage done. Please open the door.” 

He heard movement and the door opened a crack. He could see Jinyoung’s eye peering out. 

“Jinyoung-ah,” he attempted again, “I’m really sorry.” 

“No!” The other protested. “_I’m_ sorry.”

Jaebeom shook his head. “No, it’s okay, you didn’t mean to—“

“No, Jaebeom!” Jinyoung burst out. “I did it because I was _sorry_.” He stressed on the word as if there was another meaning behind it that Jaebeom wasn’t getting.

“I don’t understand,” he said slowly, placing his hands on the door. “Let me in and we can talk about it, yeah?” Jaebeom was unconsciously resorting to methods that he used on Youngjae when he was younger, when he got upset. Jinyoung obeyed, pulling the door open wider. Jaebeom planted his hands on the other’s shoulders and walked him backward to sit on the toilet seat. He crouched in front of him. “Tell me what it is. Why are you sorry?”

Jinyoung’s bottom lip quivered and it broke Jaebeom’s heart to know that he was sad. “Do you think demons are evil?”

Jaebeom’s mouth fell open in shock, partly because, yes, that’s what he’d grown up hearing; but partly because _this_ was the reason Jinyoung was upset? “I…I don’t know?”

Jinyoung sniffed. “We’re not evil. That’s not how it works. Angels aren’t good creatures, either. Heaven runs by laws, and Hell runs on chaos. That’s all. We’re not…”

He trailed off, looking awkward. Jaebeom decided to prompt him further. “Why are you telling me this now?”

“It was fun, before!” he exclaimed. “You know, when I first came here with you. It was fun because you were so flustered and didn’t know how to react. But now you just look irritated and like, scared, or something. You don’t flirt back. So it’s not fun anymore. And I didn’t….I didn’t want you to think of me as somebody evil.” He sniffed again. “Because I’m not.”

Jaebeom pressed his lips together in pity. “I don’t know what to say.”

Jinyoung continued as if he wasn’t listening. “I was going to make food for today, to apologize to you because I don’t know how to just…say it. But it went wrong.”

“Jinyoung—“

“I know I’ve made a mess of things. I’ll leave now. I know you didn’t make me leave before because you were scared I’d come back and do something to you, but I promise I won’t. I’ll go.”

He made to get up, but Jaebeom pushed his thighs down and made him sit. “Jinyoung, listen to me. I admit that I was uncomfortable with you at first, but I don’t think you’re evil. I’m not going to force you to leave. You can stay if you want.”

The demon brightened. “I can? You’ll let me stay?”

Jaebeom nodded, a small smile creeping across his face at the other’s joy. “Yeah. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Please don’t ever try to make food by yourself again.”

Jinyoung laughed, loud and bright. “Okay, okay. I promise.”


	10. Changes

“Hey, Mark?” 

Mark rolled over to face Jackson and snuggled closer to him. “Yeah?”

“You know my best friend Jaebeom, right?”

Mark pursed his lips in amusement. “Jackson, if this is about Jaebeom’s imaginary boyfriend, I’m not even going to bother listening. Just let it go.”

Jackson thrashed around in Mark’s hold in a mini fit. “But it can’t be imaginary! Jaebeommie’s been different recently. He blushes sometimes when he’s thinking and he’s super productive.”

Mark tried to talk some sense into his boyfriend. “Look, you don’t even know the guy’s name.” Before Jackson could argue, he added, “Just because he’s your best friend doesn’t mean you’re entitled to everything about his life. He must either have a reason for not telling you, or he genuinely doesn’t have one. Come on, Jackson.”

He stared at the other, watching the gears turn in his head. Jackson clearly didn’t like that explanation, but he had to accept it. “Hey, Mark?”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go visit Jaebeom when he doesn’t expect it. Hopefully, his boyfriend will be there and he won’t be able to deny it anymore.” 

“Jackson, no.”

-

Jaebeom was surprised at how quickly Jinyoung changed. 

From an overly flirty demon to a neat, composed flatmate, the way he made himself over gave Jaebeom whiplash. It was like he simply switched off the part of him that urged him to drive Jaebeom insane and replaced it with a (mostly) helpful persona. True, he still wasn’t used to doing a lot of things that humans found commonplace and more often than not, Jaebeom came home to Jinyoung’s mess. It was unfortunate, too, that Jinyoung completely stopped his seduction tactics, because Jaebeom found that the demon’s pout did things to his body that embarrassed him. 

Hey, he was still human. And Jackson was right, it had been a long time. 

No, that wasn’t any excuse. He shouldn’t be thinking that. At all.

No, Jaebeom should be focusing on how much the change benefited him, how much at ease he was when he came home to smiles and laughter instead of empty silence. He was satisfied at how well-behaved Jinyoung was now. Yes, Jaebeom did still hear the excuse “but this was a funner way to do it!” as he untangled him from whatever trap he’d gotten himself into. But it was more endearing than irritating now. 

So that’s why when one day, Jinyoung walked into his bedroom while he was at his computer, working on a track, he didn’t yell at him to get out like he would to anyone else. Jinyoung didn’t speak to him, didn’t ask him what he was doing; he just sat there observing. Even though he didn’t ask, Jaebeom suddenly felt the urge to _do_ something, if just to show the other. 

When Jinyoung pointed curiously at a folder of his labelled “Def Collabs”, he didn’t protest. He opened it for him and let him choose one to play. Jinyoung’s finger jabbed at a track he’d worked on with his fellow producer Royal Dive. The smooth strains of the song filled the air and when his part came on, he fixed his eyes on Jinyoung nervously. 

He didn’t expect Jinyoung to be such a quick learner. Soon enough, he was mimicking Jaebeom’s lines in the song and Jaebeom was pleasantly surprised (he was also divided on how to feel about how sultry his voice sounded singing his lyrics).

Jinyoung could sing. He could really sing. 

Jaebeom immediately considered using Jinyoung’s vocals for a track he was working on. And then he felt hesitant. He had never done that with someone _outside_ the company. Something told him Jinyoung wouldn’t agree but he couldn’t help but ask, “You…can really sing?”

Jinyoung looks confused and shrugged. “I suppose so? I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it much.”

He nodded absently. “Do you…um, maybe want to…?”

Jinyoung leaned forward, interested. “Want to what?”

Jaebeom cleared his throat, shifting in his seat at Jinyoung’s expression. “You know…sing for a track?”

“Ah.” Jinyoung sat back in his seat. “Hm. That…sounds nice, actually.” He smiled. “Okay.”

Jaebeom returned the smile. “I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

-

Jaebeom found himself telling Jinyoung things he hadn’t even talked to his own mother about. Jinyoung listened, really listened. All the others he’d spoken to were emotionally involved in Jaebeom’s problems and couldn’t see where he was coming from. But Jinyoung listened. Jaebeom felt like he could tell Jinyoung anything.

He told him about his father, about the fights he’d come down to witness after locking the room where Youngjae slept so he wouldn’t get up and see it too, about his mother’s struggle to raise them and her reluctance to remarry because she didn’t think they could adjust to it. It wasn’t fair to her, and Jaebeom was still upset that his mother continually put her happiness aside for them. 

And then there was the matter of Junho. 

Jinyoung was already curious about the name, after he stopped Youngjae from talking about him. 

“He was the first boy I liked,” Jaebeom explained hesitantly. “I don’t know how much you know this, but being…well, _gay_ isn’t really accepted much around here. And Junho…I guess you could call him my gay awakening or something.”

“You loved him?”

Jaebeom sighed. “I don’t know. Back then I felt like I did. Now? I’m not so sure. Might have just been an infatuation.”

Jinyoung reached out as if sensing Jaebeom’s distress and he didn’t pull away. “And? What happened?”

He drew his shoulders in. “I don’t know…obviously things went wrong. I didn’t have the courage to tell him for a long time.”

“But you did?”

“It didn’t go well.” Jaebeom leaned back against the wall. “It was pretty humiliating.”

Jinyoung pressed against his side, looping his arm in Jaebeom’s. “Is that why you’ve never let yourself be happy after that?”

-

Jaebeom knew that those cat ears would come around to bite him in the ass. He should have been much sterner with Jackson when he insisted that he buy Jaebeom cat ears because according to Jackson’s theory, Jaebeom was a furry and hence the reason why he couldn’t get laid. 

He really, really should have thrown those out when he got the chance. 

Because then he wouldn’t have to worry about coming home to see…_this._


	11. Lapse of Judgement

Much like the first day he came home to see a naked man on his sofa, Jaebeom stopped in his tracks as he walked in, breath nearly punching out of him. 

It wasn’t that Jinyoung was on the floor, playing with Nora. It probably wasn’t even that he was on his hands and knees, stretching like a cat and pretending to pounce. 

Jaebeom was going to _kill_ Jackson if it was the last thing he did. 

Because on top of Jinyoung’s neat locks, were a pair of cat ears. The ones Jackson got him and the ones he didn’t throw away out of spite. Jaebeom swallowed harshly, closing the door behind him. 

“Oh, hyung, hello,” Jinyoung drawled, just noticing that he had arrived. He looked back at Nora and streamlined his body a little more. 

Jaebeom’s dick stirred in his jeans and he nearly cursed aloud. His knuckles tightened around the strap of his bag. He was aware of the way his heart beat picked up speed and how heat was shooting through his body to his groin. 

“Um…” he began. “I’ll, uh, go take a shower. In my room. Um. I’ll be right back.” Then he bolted, attempting to hide his growing erection with his backpack. If Jinyoung noticed anything strange, he didn’t speak.

Jaebeom closed his bedroom door and sagged against it in mild relief. What was he going to do about this? He didn’t think he could will it away, not with how long he had been deprived. Swearing under his breath, he shrugged off his backpack and went into his bathroom, unzipping his pants on the way. When he finally got his hands on himself, a twinge of shame pulsed through him with his arousal. Was he really about to jerk off to Jinyoung? Really? 

“Yeah,” he muttered, running his fingers around the head and letting out a shaky exhale. “Oh, _fuck_, yeah I am.” Shoving his jeans and his boxer briefs around his knees, he began to stroke himself. He gripped the edge of the counter with his free hand. “_Shit_, Jinyoung—“ And then he mentally smacked himself for allowing the name to slip out of his mouth. 

He was so preoccupied that he forgot he hadn’t locked his bedroom door, nor did he hear it opening.

“Did you call me—oh.”

Jaebeom was so startled he hit the counter (a corner jammed into his hip, but he hardly felt it) and nearly fell. He hastily tried to cover himself up, but the damage was done. Jinyoung couldn’t tear his eyes away. He was still wearing the damn cat ears.

Jaebeom didn’t know what to say. Should he apologize? Should he pretend he didn’t hear the question? Should he deny it? 

“I heard my name,” Jinyoung clarified, dragging his eyes away with great difficulty. 

Jaebeom shook his head like he didn’t know what the other was talking about. “I…I didn’t say anything.”

Jinyoung hummed, gaze drifting south again. He licked his lips and the sight caused Jaebeom’s dick to twitch. The corners of his mouth curled up. “Do you need any help with that?”

Jaebeom was dreaming, he had to be. “I—what?”

Jinyoung stepped closer, crowding Jaebeom against the wall. “I asked if you need any help with your, ah, _problem_.” Jaebeom gulped at the look of mad hunger in Jinyoung’s eyes and shook his head. “Are you sure?” His voice had dropped to a whisper. “Because I can definitely help you.”

He was so close that Jaebeom could probably count his eyelashes if he wanted to. As he spoke, heat settled onto Jaebeom’s lips, making a shiver run down his spine. “Jinyoung—“

“Yes?” He was so close. If either of them moved at all, they would be kissing.

“Please.” 

Jinyoung’s gaze darkened. The next thing Jaebeom felt was his hands being pulled away from his crotch and new hands replacing his, continuing the work that had been interrupted. Jaebeom swore, hips bucking against his control at the teeth sinking into his shoulder. 

Jinyoung’s thumb dug into his slit and Jaebeom fucking _whimpered_, much to his embarrassment. The other seemed just as affected by the noise he made, because suddenly there was no contact and Jinyoung was dropping to his knees. 

Jaebeom was going to _die_. 

Jinyoung took his cock in his hands and lapped eagerly at the precum beading at the head. Jaebeom groaned, covering his face with his hands. He couldn’t watch this. 

“Look at me,” came the command. Jaebeom obeyed, letting his arms fall to his sides. Jinyoung was staring at him with his wide eyes and slowly, _so slowly_ took his dick into his mouth. 

“_Fuck_, Jinyoung,” Jaebeom said breathlessly, unable to resist threading his fingers into the other’s hair, tugging lightly. Jinyoung moaned around him and Jaebeom’s hips jerked again. Hands pressed him back firmly against the wall. He began to bob his head, achingly slow. 

Jaebeom was so close to exploding, after barely any contact. He was humiliated at how easily Jinyoung could make him come undone. 

Wait.

What was he even _doing_?

“Wait, wait.” He panted and pulled at his hair, panic settling in. Jinyoung hollowed his mouth and sucked harder. “_Shit_, no, Jinyoung, wait, stop!” Jinyoung pulled off him with a ‘pop’, lips slick, red and swollen. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked. 

Jaebeom allowed his breathing to even out. “I’m sorry, I don’t know—“ he coughed, embarrassed, “I don’t know what I was thinking. We shouldn’t…” He trailed off, seeing Jinyoung’s disappointment. 

“I see.” Was that bitterness? He got to his feet. “I’m sorry.”

Before Jaebeom could tell him it wasn’t his fault, Jinyoung had walked out the door. He sighed. 

It wasn’t right, it wasn’t _ethical_. Jinyoung wasn’t even human, for heaven’s sake! What happened was a lapse of judgement, nothing else. He had just turned down what could have been the best blowjob he ever received. If it was anyone else, perhaps…

Now he’d been left alone in his bathroom, still hard, Jinyoung’s saliva shining on his skin.   
Jaebeom was fucked. 

What on earth was he going to do?


	12. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, am I sorry for not updating sooner. College is one hell of a bitch. I really wish I didn't have to deal with these girls' egos, but oh well.  
It's short, but I'll be back soon i hope

Jaebeom had never felt so awkward and humiliated in his life. For the entirety of the next two days, whenever he was in the same room as Jinyoung, the latter would simply get up and leave. Not allowing Jaebeom to apologize for what had happened. 

In those two days, Jaebeom thought about it long and hard. It was all he could think about. All the images that faded into existence when he closed his eyes were of Jinyoung. Of the crinkles of his eyes when he smiled, the curve of his mouth when he saw Jaebeom stuttering, the fondness in his gaze when he looked at Youngjae. Of his smooth skin that brushed over his own as they fought for the remote or for food, the tears he’d shed the night he apologized to him, his wide innocent eyes looking up at him coyly from the bathroom floor. 

And Jaebeom would be left sleepless. 

He _liked_ Jinyoung. He really did. More than simply _liking_ someone. 

He _wanted_ him. 

The thought travelled through his nerves as an electric shock. He wasn’t sure how he was going to deal with that realization. But it had gone on long enough. How many more days would he be reluctant to go to his own home because of a peevish demon?

-

Standing in the hallway, he peered around the corner into the living room, where Jinyoung was seated on the sofa, watching television and stroking Nora. If Jinyoung saw him standing there, he would scoff and either go into the kitchen (and perhaps bolt the door behind him) or push past him into the bedroom. The only reason that he didn’t leave the apartment itself was because his vow to obey Jaebeom’s rules was still binding. 

Jaebeom had to act. “Jinyoung?”

He jolted, abruptly standing up to leave, but Jaebeom was prepared for this. He surged forward, seized Jinyoung’s arm and backed him into the sliding door that led out onto the little balcony. He didn’t miss the noise that escaped Jinyoung, nearly tripping over the coffee table in the process.

“What are you _doing_?” He hissed, eyes flashing orange. Jaebeom was startled, but held firm. He wasn’t going to let this interaction die without addressing what was bothering him.

“Will you listen to me?” Jaebeom’s voice had a rough undertone to it that the other immediately picked up on. 

“I…” Jinyoung struggled for a brief moment, then stilled, breathless. “I didn’t think you had anything left to say.”

“I’m sorry.”

A gasp. “What?”

Jaebeom hung his head, barely inches away from Jinyoung’s face. “I’m sorry.”

“What in hell for?”

He made an impatient noise. “I’m sorry I pushed you away. I didn’t mean to make you feel…” He trailed off, looking at Jinyoung imploringly. 

“Scorned?” He offered. “Worthless? Used?”

Jaebeom winced. “Yes. I didn’t mean to make you feel any of that.” He released his grip on Jinyoung, certain that he wouldn’t run away. 

“But isn’t it unethical?” he questioned, sarcasm in his tone. “I’m a _demon_, remember?” 

“And I realized that we’re not…we’re not that different, you and I.” Jaebeom watched how the other’s eyes narrowed. “You like music, despite not knowing about it before. You like to read. You…you’re not evil. You’re more confident than I am, you like pushing boundaries, and…” Jaebeom swallowed, noticing how Jinyoung’s eyes followed his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “I was frustrated, and confused. And I shouldn’t be feeling this way, but…”

Silence. His eyes dropped to his chest, where Jinyoung’s hands now rested, fingers twitching, as if wanting to hold onto him. 

“But _what_, Jaebeom?” He shivered at the low whisper.

“But I want you, Jinyoung.” The words forced their way out of his mouth and relief spread through him at the admission. “_God_, I want you.”

Jaebeom could see his sharp teeth as his lips pulled into a grin. “No, you don’t ask him for me. You don’t need to ask anyone.” Jinyoung was close, so close. “Fucking finally.” And his lips were on Jaebeom’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretty short conversation, i see  
i know, sorry, but they don't need words ok


	13. Don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is too short, I know, I just wanted this out there.

“Do you remember when you told me about Junho?”

“…Yeah. Why, what about it?”

“…We should talk about this. Because I don’t know how you feel about me or whatever is going on between us, but I think I should make sure we’re on the same page. Believe it or not, I actually _don’t_ want you to get hurt.”

Jaebeom gazed curiously at Jinyoung, where he was curled up into a ball on his bed. He seemed so small, so _vulnerable_, it gave him whiplash. How could this be the same person who had him nearly bent over backwards just a few minutes ago?

He swallowed thickly, still coming down from that high.

_“But I want you, Jinyoung. God, I want you.”_

_It was almost sickening, the lecherous way his lips curled. “No, you don’t ask him for me. You don’t need to ask anyone.” He was holding his breath now. “Fucking finally.”_

Mouths still connected, Jinyoung pushed him, turned them around until Jaebeom was the one pressed against the sliding glass door, shoving a thigh between Jaebeom’s. He couldn’t help the noise that escaped him then, nor the jerking of his hips, and he found that he wasn’t as embarrassed by it as he would have been. Jinyoung’s hands found his waist and pinned him roughly against the door, lips still devouring Jaebeom hungrily. 

Jaebeom had lost his control by then. His fingers ran through the other’s hair, raking across his scalp and swallowing down the pleased groans he let out. 

It could have been minutes, or hours, or days they stood there, glued together, but far too soon, Jinyoung pulled away, slipping his thumb between Jaebeom’s lips as if in apology. Jinyoung was gazing at him in a way he couldn’t comprehend. Was it pity? Confusion? He couldn’t tell. Jinyoung searched his face a while longer before pulling him silently toward his bedroom. 

And now they were there, sitting on opposite sides of the bed, facing each other, waiting for the next sentence to spill out of someone’s mouth. 

Jaebeom was the first to break it. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean, but I’m willing to listen to whatever you have to say.”

Jinyoung rocked a little, back and forth. “There was a boy,” he said abruptly. “A demon, if you will. Well, actually, he wasn’t a demon when I met him, but he lost part of his soul. That’s a whole other story, we’re not—”

“You can sell your soul and become a demon?” Jaebeom interjected. “If Youngjae were here, he’d say that’s so cool.”

“It’s a horribly painful process,” Jinyoung hastily added. “Nobody _wants_ to lose their soul. He had to go through so much torture to get it back. But that’s not what I want to tell you.” Jaebeom folded his arms and leaned back to show he was listening. “He was beautiful, okay? So, back then, I was a bit of a jerk. And then I saw him, and I had to have him, you know? He was _that_ pretty.”

“And?”

“And…I seduced him. And I thought that was the end, but he fell in love. With me.” Jinyoung’s voice shivers as if saying those words took a part of his own soul away. “But I…I didn’t love him. I returned to Hell. Home. He tried to follow me, and that’s how he tore his soul and became a demon.”

Jaebeom winced. “What happened to him?” 

Jinyoung shrugged sadly. “Once a demon, forever a demon.” He sighed. “Losing part of your soul is so excruciatingly painful and he had to endure all the levels of Hell to get it back. I haven’t seen him since. But I’ll never forget him. That whole endeavour is too painful a memory.” He turned to Jaebeom, imploringly. “Jaebeom, answer me honestly. Are you in love with me?”

Jaebeom tried to tear his gaze away, but Jinyoung’s eyes locked him in. “I—I don’t know. How do I answer that?” Jinyoung didn’t break. “I don’t…I don’t think I know you that well enough to…fall in love or anything. I mean, would I want to? I suppose. But am I? No. Not yet, anyway.”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t?”

“Don’t fall in love with me. I can’t return it, ever, I’m sorry.” 

“No, don’t apologize!” Jaebeom exclaimed. “It’s okay—”

“No, it’s not, Jaebeom, you don’t understand yet.” His eyes were fierce, demanding. “I am emotionally _incapable_ of feeling any sort of romantic attraction to you. I’ll be friends with you, I’ll fuck you, I’ll keep you company if you want. Just don’t ask me to stay forever. Don’t ask me to fall in love.”

Jaebeom was silent, letting these words sink in. He wasn’t really focusing on the bizarre, chaotic mess of voices in his head, tuning them out and letting his heart do the deciding for once.

“Okay.”

Jinyoung raised his head hopefully. “Okay? You…you’re really okay with that?”

He nodded, a little smirk creeping across his face. “Yeah. I am. We can be friends. Just…one thing.”

“What?”

He scooted forward, closer to him. “If anyone’s doing the fucking, it’s me.”

Jinyoung’s face fell the slightest, but soon a smirk to rival his own was mirroring him. “We’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to everyone who wanted them together, but Jinyoung is aromantic and I am going to stand by that.  
Uh, also happy valentine's day ig?


	14. Blind

“Are you ready?”

Jinyoung jolted, looking up at Jaebeom from within the recording booth. His nimble fingers clutched the headphones tightly, as if they would fall off if he let go. Jaebeom had already told him to relax and just do his best, but his hands found their way back after each time anyway. He seemed unsure, but nodded. 

“Okay, I’m going to play the track now,” Jaebeom said slowly, pressing one of the numerous buttons in front of him. 

The two of them had been dancing around each other for the past few days, not going further than heavy makeout sessions and brooding glances from across the dining table.

The track he’d composed and the lyrics he’d written were inspired by Jinyoung. No question. He was almost ashamed to admit that someone apart from Junho and his own imagination could make him produce such music. 

He didn’t regret it, though. Not when Jinyoung was singing his lyrics like _that_. 

“_Your gaze, your touch…honestly speaking, I’m not lonely…_” He lifted his gaze to see that the boy in the booth was already staring at him, both amusement and lust in his eyes. “_I keep thinking of that time, I can’t stop it…_”

_You blind me, drive me crazy,_ Jaebeom sang along in his mind. _Even if I empty out everything, it gets filled up by you again…_

Was he imagining it, or did Jinyoung blush a little singing that?

The pair went back and forth recording and discussing styles for a good couple of hours before there was a sharp knock on the door and it opened. Jaebeom’s brain immediately went into panic mode.

“Yo, man, how long are you gonna take?” Jackson ambled in without a care in the world, plopping down on the small couch, barely glancing over at him. “I came by like an hour ago and you’re still recording? The hell? You don’t even have a project now?” When Jaebeom didn’t answer, still standing there frozen, he added, “Right? You’d tell me if you did?” To Jaebeom’s horror, Jackson’s eyes slid sideways to the booth and back to him. 

Bracing himself for the question as to _who the fuck is that!_, Jaebeom closed his eyes. 

“Are you recording something new for SoundCloud or something?”

Jaebeom opened his eyes again, startled. “What?”

Jackson gestured to the lit recording booth. “Got a new song?”

Jaebeom swivelled around to face the booth and much to his surprise, it was empty. Headphones were draped around the mic. He sighed in relief. 

“Uh. Yeah, actually, it’s a new song.” He shrugged, settling into his seat behind the controls. “It’s not finished yet, but it’s called ‘Blind’.”

Jackson nodded, repeating the word ‘cool’ several times over before launching into a new topic, something about there being changes in the canteen to organic food. Jaebeom took the chance to scoot over to the floor near the cabinet for his backpack. He needed some water. He had no doubt Jinyoung was in cat form and hiding in the recording booth. He had to either get him into a safe place before Jaebeom left, or he had to get rid of Jackson. 

The sudden music had him choking on his mouthful.

It wasn’t even his original track, or the demo. Jackson had managed to click on the version that Jinyoung had sung. Jaebeom was crumbling inside his tough exterior. 

He’s screwed. If Jackson starts asking questions…

He kept his eyes on Jackson, wincing at the way he tilted his head and contemplated what he was hearing. "JB hyung?" He said quizzically. "Who's singing this? It's not you."

What was Jaebeom supposed to say? A demon? His flatmate? His boyfriend? His flushed cheeks must have revealed something to his friend, because Jackson gasped and pointed at him accusingly. 

"This is your boyfriend, isn't it?!" He yelped. "I know it, I can tell by that look on your face!" He frowned at Jaebeom, whose heart sank. "I can't believe you brought your boyfriend to record a song and you didn't even tell me." He pouted, sulking a moment longer before snapping his fingers. "Where is he? I'm not leaving or letting you leave until I get to meet him." With that said, he walked over to the sofa and sat down firmly. 

Jaebeom's eyes darted to the recording booth. "He, um, he went to the bathroom down the hall," he said loudly, hoping Jinyoung would take the cue to slip outside and re-enter in human form. "He might take a minute."

"I'll wait," came the simple answer. 

Jaebeom managed to distract Jackson for a moment by asking him for his opinion on some other track he was working on. Jackson, ever willing to talk, obliged.

The two friends heard a knock on the half opened door and both turned that way. 

Jackson's eyes widened.

"I'm back, hyung," Jinyoung said gently, stopping in his tracks on seeing the new face. "Oh. Hello," he greeted uncertainly. 

"Nyoung, this is Jackson," Jaebeom hastily introduced the two. "I've talked about him, remember?"

"Ah, of course." Jinyoung stuck out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Jackson was still staring. "Whoa, so you're the boyfriend? Hi!" He seized the offered hand and shook it enthusiastically. "I'm the best friend!"

_You wish, Jacks,_ Jaebeom thought bitterly.

Once the introductions were made, Jackson sidled up to him with a whisper: _"He's hot, good job."_ Jaebeom could only roll his eyes. 

"I wish we could stay longer, but we have things to do, sorry, man." Jaebeom gathered up his papers and notebooks and the file he'd just saved onto his laptop. "I'll catch you later."

"I'm sure you have plenty of things to do," he drawled in response. "It's alright, I'll let you go."

Jaebeom grabbed Jinyoung's wrist, much to the other's surprise, and pulled him along out of the studio. 

_That's quite enough stress for a day._


	15. NOT AN UPDATE

I know whatever I say isn't an excuse, but it's worth a shot; i have exams coming up, i'm working on two other fics, one of which will be posted here soon, and i simply do not have an idea how to end this yet, i find it easier to work on fics where the outline is planned from start to finish, but this one is not like that. Heck this wasn't even supposed to be chaptered.   
So I apologize for the delay, I will definitely find an ending for this (im open to suggestions).  
Until then.


End file.
